The recipe is a simple brioche dough that is flavoured with finely diced apricots - the dough does need to rest overnight in the fridge so you'll have to take that into consideration when planning to make this. The dough is also a lot softer than you would be used to but that is due to the particular method that Dean uses.

Sift the flour, salt, sugar and yeast into a large bowl - make a well in the centre and stir in three-quarters of the egg to form a soft dough.

Dust the bench with a little flour and tip out the dough. Knead the dough for about 2 minutes - it will be very soft - then form into a ball and cover with a bowl and let it rest for a minute. You need to repeat this 2 minute knead/1 minute rest for a total of 10 minutes or so until the gluten has developed.

Next, knead in the remaining egg slowly. the dough will move from being sticky to smooth and shiny over time.

Once this is done, knead the butter in slowly until the dough is elastic and silky.

Finally, sprinkle the apricot pieces onto the bench and knead them into the dough.

Form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl - cover and let it rest in a warm spot until doubled in size.

Lightly flour the bench again and tip the risen dough onto it - very gently fold the dough back onto itself. Reshape into a ball and return it to the lightly oiled bowl to rest, covered, overnight in the fridge.

The next day, tip the dough onto a floured bench and cut into three equal pieces.

Roll each piece into a 30cm/12 inch long rope and then plait these ropes to form your loaf.

Place it onto a baking paper lined tray, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in size.

Once risen, brush with the eggwash and sprinkle over with pearl sugar.

Bake in a preheated 180°C/350°F oven for about 20-25 minute or until golden and cooked through.

Place the plait on a wire rack to cool - finish off with a dusting of icing sugar.

Sliced through you can appreciate the golden dough brilliantly studded with apricot jewels.

Eat it straight from the oven or if you can restrain yourself, toasted the next day with lashings of good butter.

Well I already did! It turned out quite well: http://www.ipernity.com/doc/notitievanlien/2171827.This is what I like about this events, you get so many great ideas and recipes and discover great blogs as well!Thanks for sharing!!

I love this bread. All your recipes for bread are delicious. When the dough was sticky I wondered if I had made a terrible mistake but finally the gluten came to the party and what a great party it was! Thanks for another awesome bread to keep my friends under the illusion I make bread.

Thank you Katrina that is so very lovely of you to say, I am very happy to hear that the recipes have been enjoyed - I think you are selling yourself sort there, it's not an illusion, you are making bread!

OK, again amazing recipe, it was a hit. I had instant rise yeast so I only let it rise for 30 min once and it was still delicious, I might let is rise twice next time. Thanks again for amazing recipe:0))))